Cornerback Anthony Gaitor Returns to Boost Bucs' Depleted Secondary

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano center talks with his team including Anthony Gaitor (26) and Eric Wright (21) during a workout at NFL football training camp Saturday July 28 2012 in Tampa Fla.

Mike Carlson / The Associated Press

By RICK BROWNTHE LEDGER

Published: Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 11:33 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 11:33 p.m.

TAMPA | As the Tampa Bay Bucs prepare for the season's stretch run, many of the players are dealing with the bumps and bruises.

Facts

One of the units that has been hit hard, through trades, injuries and suspensions, has been the team's secondary, which is ranked last in the NFL in passing yards allowed this year.

That unit will get a boost this Sunday with the return of second-year cornerback Anthony Gaitor.

Gaitor, a seventh-round pick by the Bucs out of Florida International, has not played this season because of a nagging hamstring injury. After being inactive for the first three weeks of the season, Gaitor was placed on the NFL's new injured reserve/designated to return list.

After a couple weeks of practice with the scout team, Gaitor got his first game-week preparation for Sunday's contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. And the 5-foot-10, 182-pounder with the 100-watt smile can barely contain his excitement.

"It's been a long time coming, man," Gaitor said. "From all the ups and downs and facing all the adversity, I'm very excited about this."

In his rookie season, Gaitor played in eight games as a reserve cornerback. He finished the year with three solo tackles to go with two special-teams tackles.

Entering training camp, Gaitor was supposed to challenge for the team's nickel corner position, and during preseason there was no doubt he was up for the challenge. His anticipation and ball skills were evident. But before the season started, he tweaked the hamstring.

After missing the first couple of days, he thought he was ready to get back on the field. But shortly after his return to practice, he injured the hamstring again. This time, the Bucs decided to shut him down for six weeks to make sure it healed fully.

Although disappointed, Gaitor tried to stay on top of what the rest of the defensive backs were doing.

"I took this opportunity just to learn the playbook and the defense," he said. "I knew stressing and dwelling on it wasn't going to help me, so I just concentrated on getting better (mentally) and getting my hamstring better because of this moment right here.

"Everything happens for a reason. That was my whole mind-set from the day I got hurt until now. If I dwelled on it, it only would make me madder. If I did that, then my focus wouldn't be on getting my hamstring 100 percent."

But he did have his moments. When starting cornerback Aqib Talib was suspended and then traded; when the other starting corner Eric Wright injured his Achilles and then was suspended by the league; when the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants torched the Bucs' secondary; Gaitor felt he should be out there helping his teammates.

In those moments, he often turned to his family for support.

"If I felt like I was down or sounded like I was down, they were there to help me," he said. "They would remind me that I didn't come this far for nothing. It was all positive talk. They were there for me."

And now he can be there for his team.

Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan said there is a noticeable difference in Gaitor.

"He looks good," Sheridan said. "He's fresh. He's raring to go. He makes you think back to the way he looked in preseason when he was playing: a quick, athletic guy. So he looks good, and he's definitely fresh."

And he's looking forward to Sunday.

"I'm ready to go," he said smiling. "I'm ready."

Notes: Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles will be televised locally. Although there are some single-game tickets available, the Bucs passed the league's 85 percent threshold before Thursday's deadline. … Cornerback LeQuan Lewis (knee) and defensive tackle Roy Miller (head) did not practice for the second straight day, although coach Greg Schiano hinted that if Miller gets cleared he might be able to play Sunday.

[ Rick Brown may be reached at rick.brown@theledger.com. Follow his Bucs coverage at BucsScene.blogs.theledger.com and on Twitter: @LedgeronBucs. ]

<p>TAMPA | As the Tampa Bay Bucs prepare for the season's stretch run, many of the players are dealing with the bumps and bruises.</p><p>One of the units that has been hit hard, through trades, injuries and suspensions, has been the team's secondary, which is ranked last in the NFL in passing yards allowed this year.</p><p>That unit will get a boost this Sunday with the return of second-year cornerback Anthony Gaitor.</p><p>Gaitor, a seventh-round pick by the Bucs out of Florida International, has not played this season because of a nagging hamstring injury. After being inactive for the first three weeks of the season, Gaitor was placed on the NFL's new injured reserve/designated to return list.</p><p>After a couple weeks of practice with the scout team, Gaitor got his first game-week preparation for Sunday's contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. And the 5-foot-10, 182-pounder with the 100-watt smile can barely contain his excitement.</p><p>"It's been a long time coming, man," Gaitor said. "From all the ups and downs and facing all the adversity, I'm very excited about this."</p><p>In his rookie season, Gaitor played in eight games as a reserve cornerback. He finished the year with three solo tackles to go with two special-teams tackles.</p><p>Entering training camp, Gaitor was supposed to challenge for the team's nickel corner position, and during preseason there was no doubt he was up for the challenge. His anticipation and ball skills were evident. But before the season started, he tweaked the hamstring.</p><p>After missing the first couple of days, he thought he was ready to get back on the field. But shortly after his return to practice, he injured the hamstring again. This time, the Bucs decided to shut him down for six weeks to make sure it healed fully.</p><p>Although disappointed, Gaitor tried to stay on top of what the rest of the defensive backs were doing.</p><p>"I took this opportunity just to learn the playbook and the defense," he said. "I knew stressing and dwelling on it wasn't going to help me, so I just concentrated on getting better (mentally) and getting my hamstring better because of this moment right here.</p><p>"Everything happens for a reason. That was my whole mind-set from the day I got hurt until now. If I dwelled on it, it only would make me madder. If I did that, then my focus wouldn't be on getting my hamstring 100 percent."</p><p>But he did have his moments. When starting cornerback Aqib Talib was suspended and then traded; when the other starting corner Eric Wright injured his Achilles and then was suspended by the league; when the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants torched the Bucs' secondary; Gaitor felt he should be out there helping his teammates.</p><p>In those moments, he often turned to his family for support.</p><p>"If I felt like I was down or sounded like I was down, they were there to help me," he said. "They would remind me that I didn't come this far for nothing. It was all positive talk. They were there for me."</p><p>And now he can be there for his team.</p><p>Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan said there is a noticeable difference in Gaitor.</p><p>"He looks good," Sheridan said. "He's fresh. He's raring to go. He makes you think back to the way he looked in preseason when he was playing: a quick, athletic guy. So he looks good, and he's definitely fresh."</p><p>And he's looking forward to Sunday.</p><p>"I'm ready to go," he said smiling. "I'm ready."</p><p>Notes: Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles will be televised locally. Although there are some single-game tickets available, the Bucs passed the league's 85 percent threshold before Thursday's deadline. … Cornerback LeQuan Lewis (knee) and defensive tackle Roy Miller (head) did not practice for the second straight day, although coach Greg Schiano hinted that if Miller gets cleared he might be able to play Sunday.</p><p> </p><p>[ Rick Brown may be reached at rick.brown@theledger.com. Follow his Bucs coverage at BucsScene.blogs.theledger.com and on Twitter: @LedgeronBucs. ]</p>